Re “On Opening Night, a Case of the Principal and the Principle’s Principle Pickle”
I am writing in response to the op-ed piece you wrote yesterday morning on Dr. Pam Magee and Sheila Silver.
As the parent of a Culver CIty High School student involved in the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and a performer in “Urinetown,” I am well aware of the situations you have written about in this article and many preceding articles.
If I may, I would like to call upon every person directly and indirectly involved in the recent events to take a deep breath and calmly set themselves on a course to amicably resolving tensions.
The dismissal and reinstatement of Ms. Silver, a drama teacher and director, impacted the community as a whole, from students and parents to teachers and administrators. And there are undoubtedly, as one could reasonably assume, a variety of viewpoints on these events and there are some wounds that need to heal, which will assuredly take some time.
My purpose for writing to you is to respectfully appeal to you to stop publicly picking at this scab. To be clear, you are a journalist and you have every right to comment on public behavior at a public institution. But I am appealing to you as a fellow citizen, and all of us are members of the same small community.
There was an action and then there was a reaction to that action. And then there was a reaction to that reaction. And then there was a reaction to THAT reaction. And so on, and so on.
It seems to me that people need to stop reacting to yesterday's slights and start acting upon the steps necessary to provide for a brighter tomorrow.
A brief side note: Last week I attended the taping of a friend’s television show. Along with the rest of the audience, I was seated above the studio floor and viewed the process of taping the show.
I was struck that I was not simply viewing a television show, I was also looking down upon a hundred people, cast and crew, as they performed their routine job duties.
This seemed very odd to me, like watching animals at the zoo. I thought, “How would I feel if a large group of strangers were looking down on me — literally, and perhaps figuratively — bearing witness, and perhaps sitting in judgment, as I went about doing my job?”
I think this applies to the current situation.
It would not surprise me if Ms. Silver were to consider herself under a microscope.
It would not surprise me if Dr. Pam Magee were to consider herself under a microscope. It would not surprise me if their colleagues were to consider themselves under a microscope.
This cannot make for a productive work environment. It seems to me that Ms. Silver and Dr. Magee and their colleagues should be allowed the time and space to go about performing their jobs and productively resolving their issues without the community and press provoking them further.
So let's give them some space.
Let's presume, until proven wrong, that each of them is professionally attempting to allow the tensions to recede so that each can fully focus on her greatest talents and prime responsibility, providing our children with an excellent education.
The outstanding production of “Urinetown” eloquently demonstrated how powerfully the AVPA can work together to produce great success!
Sincerely and respectfully.
Mr. Wally may be contacted at davidwally@mac.com
